If you know me you probably know that I dropped cable TV about two years ago.
My friends asked me how I was going to be able to see anything at all with just an antenna and an Internet connection. I had done my research, so I knew what I could get and also believed that it would only get better (and it has!)
The other day someone mentioned to me that “connected” TVs were now everywhere and asked if they should buy one. When I said no, they were quite surprised. I explained to him that connected TVs would work much like my current blue-ray player does and would only provide them with a tiny fraction of what is available on the entire web.
Sites would be available like Netflix and Hulu-Plus, but usually not regular Hulu and you would never, ever, ever get a site like tv-links.eu which is miles above Hulu-Plus, but probably not one the entertainment companies want you to know about.
I told them to get a regular HDTV, perhaps splurge on an LED model and take the savings to buy a small laptop with an HDMI port. Then just plug that into his TV. He would have the entire web at his fingertips. I also mentioned some other ideas I’ve written about before or wait until there’s a TV that’s also a regular web browser.
As an afterthought I mentioned that the players in the connected TV game were also starting to add more and more advertisements. I don’t mind a few ads, preferably something I’m interested in, but there seems to be more piling on every day. The media controlled sites like Hulu seem to be out of control. In the case of Hulu-Plus they want you to pay and still watch commercials.
I saw more evidence of all this today and I thought I would share it with you
Here’s something just for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
Happy Friday the 13th
This is an old one, but it still drives me crazy. All you have to do is click on the ball and it changes colors.
Yeah that’s all!
Here’s something just for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
The part of Pittsburgh that I live in is called Highland Park and one of the main features is The Pittsburgh Zoo. Just the other day the zoo announced a new development Tentatively called “Top of the World” because it’s at the very top of their property, you may remember it as the hoofed animals exhibit. It is going to be a hospital and learning center and sounds really cool.
I walk by there most every day and the last time they were building a new new polar bear exhibit, The Water’s Edge in 2006, I took photos every month of the construction as it progressed. I’ll try again with this exhibit and keep adding pictures to this page, but right now it’s a bit overgrown and doesn’t look like much at all.
Here’s something just for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
I have many people ask me where to get images for their site, blog, newsletter, etc.
No one wants the hassle of getting a take(shake)-down notice.
Here are a couple of good free sites where you are allowed to use the pictures any way you want.
I’ve donated a few pics of my own.
www.clker.com – The online royalty free public domain clip art
Friday Just For Fun Site -
Here’s something just for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
This is very cool. YouTube has added a free video editing tool for anyone to use.
It looks like it may be a bit clunky at first, but still pretty easy to use, it’s free and you don’t have to install anything on your computer. You do need to have a free YouTube account to use the editor.
If you just want to chop something from the beginning or end (or both), you just do it. If you want more than that you have to load the same clip more than once and edit each section separately, not that bad.
I’m also sure software will continue to get better. Google likes to throw things out for people to play with and then improve the product based on their users comments.
Imagine that, a company actually listening to users, much too uncommon these days.
Here’s something just for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
Back in September I wrote about using the Internet to watch TV and cut cable.
Since then I bought a 25′ hdmi cable for $12.00 on Ebay.
It goes from my computer to my TV and works really well.
I can now watch anything on my TV, much of it in HD.
It works so well that I am thinking of buying a dedicated machine for just TV.
All it would take would be a refurbished netbook and remote.
It would also be a DVR and if I got a laptop instead of a netbook it could be a DVD/Blueray player/recorder as well.
Here’s something just for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
I tried Twist Bang a few times and it seems like it could be a great Friday time waster.
“Twist and match the blocks to create immense combos. Outsmart the fiendish bombs and locks, unleash the powerful glowing blocks and grab the highest score you can!”
Here’s something just for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
The name pretty much says it all.
Here’s something for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
I’ve had Project Gutenberg before here three years ago. I don’t usually repeat these posts, but with the new iPad, Android, iPhone, Kindle, Sony Reader (or others) it’s more relevant than ever.
Over 30,000 free high quality ebooks to read. Previously published on paper by bona fide publishers and digitized with with the help of thousands of volunteers. All ebooks can be easily downloaded: Choose between ePub, Mobipocket, HTML and simple text formats.
No fee or registration is required, but if you like it you can help keep them going.
Here’s something just for some fun on a Friday. (Not responsible if you get caught playing at work)
If you’ve been snowed in all week like me you may have gone through many of your entertainment options. My last Friday Fun post was about streaming video to your TV. Today here’s some good free stuff to watch!
Did you know that there are many movies to watch on YouTube? Well if you didn’t know you do now and you should definitely check them out.
I have spent quite a bit of time watching TED. If you haven’t heard of TED, it’s a clearinghouse that offers free knowledge and inspiration from the world’s most inspired thinkers, and also a community of curious souls to engage with ideas and each other. Definitely worth checking out.
Watch free Movies, TV-shows, Anime, Documentaries and Cartoons online on alluc.org
